Tony Hartman writes: Right now I’m here at COB Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq. About half way through as we draw down to depart before the end of the year. I’m the lead Chaplain for the three hospitals up in the northern part of the country.

Chris Cioni writes: I volunteered for the race committee again this year. Instead of being a course marshal this year, I was very fortunate to be assigned to the security crew. It was amazing to be right on the finish line and closer to the stage than the media. And yes, I was prepared to “take one for the team” in order to protect the lovely podium staff 🙂

Dan Rohde writes: I’ll be heading out to Long Beach (from Savannah where Carrie and I currently live) in late August with a few of my Georgia Ports Authority colleagues to visit with a few folks in SoCal. One of the stops will be with Jacobsen Pilots where we will meet with, among others, the Jacobsen Pilots Ops Manager Capt. Mark Coynes. I’ll try to get a fun picture or two the following KP’er.

Our oldest daughter graduated from the USCGA in May and our middle daughter (3rd kid) started at the USCGA last week. We have two more years to attempt to sway our last kid to KP so we can keep our family numbers tilted the right way.

Rex Gundle writes: Continuing the expat lifestyle since 1997 and working for the AP Moller-Maersk group for the past 23 years. Married to Kim just short of 28 years now, with 3 kids, where the youngest Katie is 17 attending her 6 school in 6 countries, none of them in the USA; Tom is 19 attending UNC Wilmington; and Sarah graduated from University of Mary Washington and now works for our sister company the last 3 years. All is well, even with all the crazy events going on in the region.

Lisa Barcus Fields writes: Our daughter just gave birth to our first grandchild, a little boy. To say we are proud grandparents is an understatement. His name is Finnlee Joshua Anderson. Born on July 7th. He is the son of our oldest daughter Jessica and her husband Josh. Our son-in-law is a Virginia Tech grad, but he humors us, and allowed Grandpa and Grandma to dress Finnlee appropriately!

Mike Palmer’s oldest daughter Sheila is graduating HS this year.

Jim Romeo reports that Rob Lento‘s son is currently a plebe!

Erin Gantt again performed in the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC with her trio, Swing Shift.

Rick Boudiette writes: Hope all is well. I am based in the San Francisco Bay Area managing some newbuild projects for Chevron Shipping. Specifically I have a contract with Daewoo for 3 LNG Carriers delivering later this year, and am about to start another LNG project at Samsung later this year. Lot’s of travel to Korea. During my travels recently, I ran across Kerry O’Neill. He’s working for on a Teekay Shipping construction team at Samsung. In fact, the current project he is on is yet another LNG Carrier project, and the ships will be dedicated to a Chevron joint venture gas project. Kerry is looking great, has a
wonderful wife, and is teaching some of my engineers a thing or two on the finer points of hull structural inspections.

Mike Booth writes: My wife and I are moving to Singapore by September, so that’s keeping us hopping. Other than that, not much news to report.

Glenn Gardner has been selected as Assistant Deputy Commander for Industrial Operations (SEA 04X). In this position, he’ll exercise operational control of the public shipyards and directorate’s infrastructure management of NAVSEA field activities. Glenn previously served as the technical director for Submarine Hull, Mechanical and Electrical Systems Engineering Division.

The very day of submitting this column we were notified that Michael Alston has passed away. See details at our site and please keep his family in your prayers.

Ray’s update: Check out my web design video at www.AttractWeb.com. I’ll brag about finishing 10th in my age group (out of 400) at Marine Corps Historic Half (half marathon), Fredericksburg, VA in May. Drew Carey did his first Half there.

For quick chatting with everyone, there’s a link at our site to our Facebook Group. Take care. Stay young.
—– Ray Christensen

Chris Cioni volunteered at Amgen Tour of CA bike race

Erin Gantt performs at Memorial Day parade in DC

Gary & Lisa (Barcus) Fields with new grandson

CDR Vivan Ragusa, USN(Ret) was laid to rest in Jacksonville National Cemetery, on April 12 this year. Jacksonville was his family’s home for many years and where they held their home church. He left behind his wife Jane and their three young boys Vivan Jr., Schuyler and Aidan. Vivan is gone from this earth “to wait for them.” Classmates able to attend included John Carbone and his family, Jim Goulden, John Burns, Craig Matteson, Kevin Brofford and Scott O’Connor – not a happy reunion but a tiny one none the less. Vivan’s “brother, “John Carbone” wonderfully eulogized Vivan, how he loved to fly fast and how great a heart he had for family and friends. He will be sorely missed at any turn! Vivan had his eye on the meatball and,
as his Rector best but it, “the Cross was his meatball.”

Gary Graham writes:
I retired from the Marine Corps in the summer of 2009 after 26 and a half years of flying the A-6 Intruder and the F/A-18 Hornet. My last tour was as the Commanding Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 41 in Ft Worth, TX. Capt Ian McIntyre was the base commander at the time. I now work at NAVSEA HQ for the in service amphibious ships program office where I am the Senior Aviation Manager and Liaison for integration of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.

Brian Foy writes:
Photos [below] from the recent KPA-CPA Leadership Conference at KP. George Toma was there as VP of the KP-Arizona Chapter; Scott O’Connor was there as President of the KP-Jacksonville, FL Chapter; I was there as VP of the Mid-Hudson (NY) Chapter. It was a good meeting providing great networking and chance to hear directly from the Superintendent, Admiral Greene (KP ’78) on his vision for KP going forward, as well as updates from faculty and administration. I must say I was very impressed with Admiral Greene and his passion; with his background as a Master Mariner and Naval Officer, KP is in good hands!

Ray’s update: Besides running (survived a hilly marathon in Amish country in April) and web design, you can see how I work with my brothers a few days each month in the Catskills at www.LackawackLumber.com I sold Brian Foy a quart of the Maple Syrup we produce. My brother Ken (KP’88) continues to sail as a Chief Engineer with Maersk.

I’d like to create a page on our KP83 site for each of our departed classmates, so they can continue to be with us. If you have contact with a family, please ask them to contact me. If you have an appropriate photo or would like to add a paragraph, email it.

As always, email or call me anytime with news. Stay safe.
—– Ray Christensen

Jacksonville National Cemetery

Scott O’Connor, Brian Foy & George Toma at KP conference

RADM Mark “Buzz” Buzby USN, KP’79 Commanding Officer Military Sealift Command (COMSC) keynote speaker
KPA-CPA Maritime Dinner, USMMA Officers Club

KPA-CPA Leadership Conference